


Dendarii Actual

by ollipop



Category: Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
Genre: A Thousand Words, Backstory, Character Study, Gen, mercenaries have more fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-02
Updated: 2013-07-02
Packaged: 2017-12-16 20:47:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/866444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ollipop/pseuds/ollipop
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Q. E. D.: Quinn enjoys danger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dendarii Actual

**Author's Note:**

  * For [the_rck](https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_rck/gifts).



> To the_rck: I'm taking a chance, because mercenaries aren't everyone's cup of tea. (Particularly if Bel isn't around to serve said tea.) But I love Quinn, and wish we'd gotten a chance to read more from her. Thanks for being flexible with your fandoms and for giving me the chance to write this!

“Admiral, we’re about two hours out from Tau Ceti V, just exchanging the first round of countersigns with the fleet.”

Elli Quinn leaned into the com pickup for her reply. “Very good, commander. Pull us around to the far side of the sweep pattern, I’ll shuttle over after they’ve completed the next circuit.”

“Yes, ma’am.” 

Elli tried to relax as she prepared to rejoin the Fleet. The negotiations with Allegre to give her command of the Dendarii had been almost routine, but she was drained by the bureaucracy. She'd been fielding messages ever since she'd crossed the last jump point. The first wave had been congratulatory replies to the tight-beam message in which Admiral Naismith had announced her promotion. The next wave was a set of sitreps on various situations that had gone haywire in her absence, mainly detailing how the screwup in question was not the sender’s fault. These were all politely addressed to "Admiral Quinn". The title, much longed for, still sounded brittle in her ears.

There was a message from her _sister_ , of all people. It was a forward of an official-looking notice that had gone out to various contractors and suppliers, naming Quinn as Dendarii-actual, and authorizing her as final authority on business in the Fleet’s name. _Who on earth had sent this to Norah?_ thought Elli. Someone who didn’t know her very well, or someone who did know her and was trying to make a point. If Miles had still been here, she would have instantly recognized his hand in this. Perhaps he’d bribed Hereld to do it for him. 

Norah had marked up the notice and returned it. It read simply, “Good work, Sis—if you’re happy, I’m happy. Does this mean you get to change the name to Quinn’s Mercenary Fleet?”

Elli half-consciously touched the actual promotion and orders, from Allegre, which were every kind of classified. No, she would not be changing the name. Despite her assurances that her pay and retirement would be comfortably covered by the Dendarii Mercenaries, Allegre had insisted on paying her a monthly stipend to “secure the interests of the Barrayaran Empire through use of the Dendarii Mercenaries in the name of Emperor Gregor, long may he reign”. The original contract had referred to her as “the subject,” and she’d made the legal team do handstands to remove it from the language. She tried to tell herself that it was simply a long-term contract, that working with Allegre didn’t make her a Barrayaran subject any more than working with Miles had done. Nevertheless, she felt distinctly less mercenary than she had felt on the outbound trip. 

She’d spent the trip home poring uselessly over equipment schematics and contingency plans for upcoming missions. As soon as the ink was dry on her contract, she had rushed back to the Fleet, most of which was currently engaged in a sweep mission around Tau Ceti. It was easy work, but that suited Elli just fine. She had set herself a private goal of not having to preside over any funerals for the next few months. 

Fleet readouts began arriving as her vessel approached; she noted the _Peregrine_ , which made her remember Elena and Baz. Baz had been particularly proud of the recent upgrades on the _Peregrine_ , though Ky would have argued that it still wouldn’t have been able to outrun the _Triumph_. (Given three weeks to their own devices, she probably would have returned to find Baz and Ky out drag-racing, with only a couple frigates left to mind the store.) The _Ariel_ was notable in its absence, having been detached to work near Orient Station. Even after this many months, Elli found it hard to remember that Thorne was no longer captaining it. Ky Tung’s grouchy brilliance had been gone for years. All four of them were mere ghosts to the Dendarii now. Elli and Taura were the only survivors in the old inner circle.

Taura was a resolutely front-line soldier, and Quinn certainly couldn’t socialize with her on a regular basis, even if she’d wanted to. Elli considered the relationship between Taura and Miles, and the public dressing down she wished she could give to Taura, then set those thoughts aside. There was no reason to be cruel to a 22 year old sergeant, even if they did owe one another a talk. _Watch your momentum,_ Miles had said. She surely had more power than she knew what to do with, now.

She would never have gotten a chance at the admiralcy with Miles Naismith nearby. Furthermore, she would hardly have noticed its absence. But she’d grown stronger, all those years trying to hold her own alongside Miles, and now that he was gone she wondered: would she have him back if she could? Would she be willing to give up command, if Miles returned? Probably not. That realization chilled her, left her feeling empty. 

Quinn felt the gravity surge as the emergency lights came on. Well, she would always have Arde. She braced into the cabin chair and hit the comm. “Mayhew. Did you hit an asteroid or something? Report.” 

Arde’s voice scratched over the com pickup. “No ma’am, that was a potshot. Selby Fleet thinks we’re a target, though it doesn’t look like their heart is in it.”

“Commander Hart, give me an update.” 

“Ma’am, we’re just getting warning shots and a message from Selby to turn back. The _Mersey_ is in range, they can divert to chase off this guy and escort us to the main fleet.” Hart didn’t sound nervous, but he also didn’t sound ready for battle. 

“Negative, Hart. Tell _Mersey_ to maintain sweep pattern, I don't want them lured off. Mayhew, take evasive action. I’ll be right there.” Quinn swung out of her cabin chair and headed for the bridge. She was already forming plans on how to drive back Selby’s ship, and her trot became almost jaunty. 

She liked a good battle, Quinn did. She was going to be just fine.


End file.
